Continue reading »]]> You may have heard the different names Kokoda Track and Kokoda Trail. Until 1972, the area did not have an official name and both names were used to describe the route. However, in 1972, the official name Kokoda Trail was gazetted while Papua New Guinea was still an Australian Territory. Both names are still commonly used today, however Kokoda Trail is the official name for the route.

In his book, The Kokoda Trail – A History, Stuart Hawthorne provides some more details on the name of the track and its origin. He explains that before the 1942 war period, the route was referred to in official papers as ‘the overland mail route’ while popular usage of ‘the Buna road’ was also widespread. (Buna is a coastal town in the Northern Province of Papua New Guinea – if you were to continue past Kokoda all the way to the coast, you would end up at Buna.)

If you’re interested in reading more about the origin of the name, or generally about the history of Kokoda, Stuart’s book is available on Amazon.

Continue reading »]]> A recent article by the Geelong Advertiser reported that human remains had been found on the Kokoda track. The Australian Department of Defence will now launch an official identification process.

The article reports that

A PNG porter from a trek group led by Mick O’Malley discovered a skull and thigh bone while fishing in a stream at a village known as 1900, near Menari.

Ammunition was also found near the site.

You can read the full article at http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2011/11/22/292741_news.html

Continue reading »]]> The Australian reported recently that Australian and New Zealand Bomb experts were collecting and destroying tons of Kokoda Trail World War 2 ammunition, such as bombs, torpedoes, shells, and hand grenades that had been left along the track until recently. The ammunition, some of which was still live, has always been an attraction for trekkers interested in the military history of Kokoda.

It seems that it was decided that the old ammunition should be removed as it was found near air crash sites and storage depot bunkers, and may have posed a risk to trekkers and locals.

For more details the full article in the Australian is available here

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Kokoda Village to Owers Corner? Or vice versa? Based on our own informal discussions on the ground, most groups that we saw flew in to Kokoda and trekked back south to Owers Corner near Port Moresby. Owers Corner marks the start of the kokoda treck outside Port Moresby.

Some say that it is ‘easier’ to trek from Kokoda to Owers because there are more downhill sections. This may well be true, but the difference would in our opinion on the kokoda trek be nominal. Both directions are strenuous, with plenty of ups and downs in either case!

Depending on the trekking company you choose, they may have their own opinion on which way to heed the kokoda trek, and, they may also take you on small detours to show you other sites of significance. You must remember there is no single track and the landscape is constantly changing. The track splits and reforms in many places to connect villages and outposts. Rest assured, a reputable trekking company will always take you to important battle sites e.g. Isurava, Brigade Hill, and explain the history of the area.

In peak season accommodation along the route is in demand, and this may determine the direction of travel. On our trek, we found that we would vacate a site, knowing that evening another trekking group would be arriving to take our place. These logistics are all controlled well by good, experienced trekking companies who will have all these necessities arranged ahead of time. Make sure you choose a reputable company, otherwise you might be sleeping rough! Wherever possible, your campsite will be for your group only, and will not have to share facilities with other groups. This helps to add to your experience and allow you to better feel the mystery and awe of the jungle environment.

We trekked from Owers Corner to Kokoda (south to north). For us, this direction had more of an element of authenticity as we were exposed to the same arduous journey as the original 39th Battalion. Having been denied the option to fly over the ranges, they humped their way over the range to Kokoda. At the end of our journey we were able to fly back over the Owen Stanley Ranges to see exactly where we had been and come through – a real rite of passage – so this became a fitting way to end your kokoda trek.

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There is no ‘one’ Kokoda track – the route itself meanders across the Owen Stanley Ranges, splitting off and rejoining in many sections. The main reason for this is that many villages and communities need access to this vital trade route. Because Papua New Guinea is so mountainous, there are few travel options. With aeroplane travel cost restrictive to most PNG nationals, the only other option becomes walking. (As a side note: it is highly unlikely the route will ever be a ‘sealed road’. It is far too rugged for this, and at present there is little economic demand to create a roadway. It just wouldn’t make sense. Flying is far more practical.)

If you choose a reputable company, they will have experienced guides with excellent knowledge of the local area and the WWII battlegrounds. You will stop to rest at the different sites of significance, and will hear stories of courageous acts. You will literally be standing in the same spot as the Australian soldiers, looking at rusting equipment, and peering into trenches and fox holes that look as though they could have been dug yesterday.

Live munitions still litter the kokoda track. Be careful not to pick up any ordnance, and always follow the instructions of your trek leader. He or she will know where to look, and what you can and can’t disturb. Please understand that it is not a minefield or anything of the like – the kokoda track is not covered in explosives! However, some of the ammunition could still be live, and could still explode, even 70 years later. In most cases, the ammunition is piled into neat stacks in strategic spots. Other war remnants are sometimes found, like .303 rifles (rusted and useless), helmets and boots.

Continue reading »]]> Sue Fitcher is a woman on a mission.

As CEO of trekking and adventure operator Getaway Trekking, Sue wants to educate people about what happened on the Kokoda Track during WWII in commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign.

Her educational efforts have the support of Julie Bishop, Federal Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and Warren Entsch, Member for Leichardt in Queensland.

“We were totally outnumbered” Sue said. “Our soldiers were sent into the jungle in uniforms designed for the Syrian desert, with weapons that jammed in the humidity, and without mosquito nets to protect them against malaria.”

Sue is particularly passionate about the men of the 39th Battalion. A Victorian raised militia battalion, and formed from volunteers with an average age of 18 ½, the Battalion also included WWI veterans who were considered too old to join the Second AIF Battalions. Although the 39th was never intended to serve outside Australia, Papua New Guinea was then an Australian protectorate. The 39th was originally sent to Port Moresby as a garrison unit.

Intelligence reports about Japanese forces landing on the northern beaches forced a change in plans, and the 39th Battalion suddenly found itself as the first Australian Army unit between Port Moresby and the might of the Japanese Army.

Undermanned, undertrained and under resourced, these courageous men frustrated and delayed the Japanese until they were reinforced by the 21st Brigade AIF at Isurava. The combined Australian forces held up the Japanese at Isurava for four critical days, with many historians believing the Battle for Isurava was one of the most important events in Australian military history.

“The diggers of the 39th were never supposed to be in battle,” said Sue. “But they knew they stood between the Japanese and Port Moresby, and Australia was only a short hop from there.”

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign, Getaway Trekking is working with the 39th Battalion Association to educate the public. “The Association will provide our trekkers with the name and service number of one of theirs. The trekkers will be able to research their soldier, find out as much as they can, and then trek along the Kokoda Track in their honour.” Sue believes by personalising their experience, trekkers will gain a far greater appreciation of their deeds.

Mr Entsch believes it is critical that we understand and acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of our soldiers. “This will provide an opportunity for people to really appreciate these blokes; not just as soldiers, but as men too,” he said. “Some of them were just kids.”

Ms Bishop is also a supporter. “This is about Australia’s history and it’s so important that we learn these stories. As time goes on there are fewer and fewer soldiers left to talk about what happened. We really must talk to them now.”

Interested people should contact Sue Fitcher.

For further information contact:
Sue Fitcher
Chief Executive Officer

Getaway Trekking
Phone: 1300 979 088 or 0418 294 888

Email: sue@getawaytrekking.com
Website: http://www.getawaytrekking.com.au/

Press release published by Seeking Media. www.seekingmedia.com.au

Continue reading »]]> SYDNEY, Oct 13, 2011 (AFP) – - A passenger plane carrying 32 people crashed near the Papua New Guinea coast, officials said yesterday (Thursday 13th October), with witness reports saying only four people on board had survived.

The West Australian reports that

The Airlines PNG Dash-8 was flying from the mountain gateway city of Lae to coastal Madang when it crashed around 5pm local time (0800 GMT), killing a number on board, the Australian Accident Investigation Commission said.

“There has been an aircraft accident here involving Airlines of Papua New Guinea,” AIC investigator Sid O’Toole told AFP.

O’Toole was unable to confirm the number of casualties, but witnesses told local media only four on board had survived.

A horrible plane crash in 2009 killed 9 Australians and one Japaneses who were flying from Port Moresby to Kokoda.

You can read more about yesertday’s plane crash here.

Continue reading »]]> Should we be placing more memorials to our fallen soldiers along the Kokoda track? Will building more memorials desecrate the site, and disrespect the memory of our fallen soldiers? Opponents say it will.

On September 28th, The Advertiser, revealed that Network Kokoda chairman Charlie Lynn, also the owner and operator of Adventure Kokoda, had raised $70,000 with the objective of hiring a designer to survey the track and suggest further memorials at key spots along the route. Designer Michael Pender won the contract.

Kokoda Track Papua New Guinea

“Some of our trekking party went back and put the sticks back up that they had knocked over,” he reportedly said. ‘It’s an extremely emotional place….any excavation of soil on that hill would be a complete desecration of the site’.

Isurava memorial on the Kokoda Track

AdelaideNow has reported others weighing in on the debate. Legacy Club chief executive Rainer Jozeps voiced his personal view that the need for more memorials was questionable. “The memory of those who fought on it is kept alive by those who trek it….not by another structure, or worse, set of structures,” he said.

Mr Lynn reacted to the suggestions on AdelaideNow by posting that his proposal was to “help provide a sustainable eco-trekking industry for the Koiari and Orokaiva people who live along the trail, to honour the legacy of the New Guinea wartime carriers and the significance of the battles fought during the Kokoda campaign. Both the ex-service community and the custodians of the land that is sacred to them are supportive of the need to have a plan that reflects the wartime history,” he wrote.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs confirmed that they were not planning to add to the existing commemorations in Papua New Guinea.

Continue reading »]]> ABC Radio Australia reports that fighting in a remote Papua New Guinea town has prompted the Australian foreign affairs department to reissue travel advice.

The murder of a young man in Popondetta last Friday sparked the fighting, which left another man dead. Local reports say schools and businesses are closed and the situation remains tense.

Australia’s Foreign Affairs Department says there is potential for more violence and traveling on the road between Popondetta and Kokoda may be dangerous.

A small number of Australian tourists who come to PNG to walk the Kokoda Track visit Popondetta.

The Kokoda Track Authority says there are no trekking groups in the area at present.

A spokesman for the Authority says most trekkers avoid Popondetta altogether and fly in and out of the village of Kokoda.

The original article can be found here.